Provender Coffee & Food

One of my absolute favorite tiny hidden cafes in the city, tucked away in Potrero Hill. I’ve come here 3x now for some seriously good lattes. The space is about the size of a closet, but it’s simply beautiful with monochrome tile flooring and fresh flowers. Love the vibe, and I also highly recommend their avocado toast!

tasty but overpriced. my beau and I got a ham and cheese toast and I swore I ordered a bacon and goat cheese biscuit but was delivered a cherry scone. the coffee was indeed very good– maplewood cold brew, but not worth $ 4 for a tiny cup.
very friendly service and glad we tried it but not worth the price tag.

Service was good. The place was cute and clean. Really like this place. Can you open one in the Marina?
**Almond Milk Latte — Was amazing. Tasted great. That perfect coffee taste. Andytown Coffee.
**Avocado Toast — Was the best I had. — avocado, cilantro, salt, fried onions and oil. Was so good. MUST TRY!
Why a 4 star instead of 5? Because I wasn’t sure what my coffee art was. Maybe the barista was still learning? But I know they fancy up the coffees here. Only because I know they can do better. I will definitely be coming back because I’m now a fan. And everything was delicious!

Love this little neighborhood coffee shop. $ 10 may seem steep for avocado toast, but it’s worth it! I also loved the maple cold brew. I’m not a huge coffee drinker, so this was easy and delicious for me to sip on.
Not a ton of inside seating, just some bar stools. More of a grab and go type of place versus a loungey coffee shop. Staff is super nice and friendly too.
Will definitely stop by again next time I’m in the area.

Come for the cookie, not for the drinks.
Granted I didn’t have a coffee drink… I went for the chai latte. My girlfriend got a hot chocolate. Both were lacking strong flavors. My chai latte tasted watered down, not frothy and creamy the way I like. The hot chocolate tasted of dark chocolate, which I actually like, but it unfortunately was also a watered down version of what it should be.
But the chocolate chip cookie definitely made up for it. They even warmed it up for us. It was greasy, crispy on the edges, soft in the middle, top with a little sea salt. Nom nom nom :)

Avocado toast $ 10: my favorite in SF! Seedy bread is chewy with a crispy crust, loads of avocado with garlic aioli, fried garlic, lemon juice, cilantro, sesame seeds, and flaky salt… Such a great combo! At first I was surprised at the level of saltiness, but along with the lemon, it cuts through the creaminess and I liked it more and more after each bite. If I live closeby, I would want to come here for this all the time!
Almond butter-​banana toast $ 8: topped with honey and flaky salt. This was a bit too salty for me, but it’s really good too! The almond butter is amazzzing. Same bread as the avocado toast is used, so it was delicious.
Coffee Drinks– American and almond milk latte. Both were yum. I love Andytown coffee, which is what they serve.
The shop is cute, but small. There are two stools available to sit at the window where a small counter is. Three people were seated there (one couple shared one stool) when we were there. They were eating avocado toast and drinking coffee. The menu says Food To Go but I guess they are fine if you eat there too.
FYI– Didn’t see a restroom available for customers. Mainly to-​go business I think. Petition available at counter for you to sign to help support a park let for them!

A hidden treasure :) Stumbled in with a desperate need for coffee and it was phenomenal. Was intrigued by the avocado toast with a sous vide egg and was not disappointed. I loved the rustic bread they used (crispy crunch!). Overall an amazing experience.

Avocado toast. Definitely order this even if you don’t think you’re much of an avocado fan cause this particular toast at Provender was too good to pass up.
The chili flakes sprinkled on top with creamy mayonnaise is a combination I’m definitely adding to my own kitchen recipe for avocado toast. A tad too salty for me, so if you do order it, ask for less salt!
My iced latte was quite refreshing too, nothing too special but delicious nonetheless. I want to try their pour over at my next visit!

They used to have delicious food and now they don’t.
Big disappointment.
It is not worth the $ 10!
Go to Hazels or Farleys down the street.

Provender satisfied my craving for a mid morning snack and espresso with effortless expertise. They take the concept of gourmet toast to the next level with multi-​layered flavors and fresh ingredients.
Milk foam skills were on point for my cappuccino and everyone seemed like they genuinely loved what they were doing. Simple décor and mellow music created a good vibe. Check it out.

This little coffee shop is a nice addition to the stretch of establishments on 18^th St. in Potrero. It’s a tiny place, so don’t expect to be able to sit down and eat: there’s a small bar along the window with 2 seats, so you can probably perch and eat for a little bit if there’s room. Otherwise, there’s one bench outside.
They have some of the best coffee in the city — with a wide variety of choices: latte, americano, cappucino, gibraltar, mocha, and more, and teas if that’s more of your thing. My only gripe was that for the price ($ 4 for a latte), it came in miniature cup. I felt like I was drinking out of a child’s sippy cup. You can’t select the size of your drink, so you’re stuck paying a lot of money for a small amount of coffee.
They have a decent food selection for such a small place that has such a strong coffee focus, with a few healthy options. We opted for avocado toast ($ 8), which comes on a thick slab of rye toast, and basically an entire avocado placed on top of each half of toast. It’s sprinkled with garlic bits, salt, and black sesame and it’s delicious. I still love Jane’s (on Fillmore or Larkin) avocado toast more, but this is still pretty good.
The salad ($ 8) seems to be seasonal, and the one I had was wheat berries, squash, olives, almonds, and capers. It was really good — a bit on the small side, but tasty and healthy. Add a sous vide egg for $ 2, and it’s a great addition (to pretty much anything)
They also have baked goods that seem to run $ 3 – 4 a pop: chocolate chip cookies, black sesame banana bread, scones, that I’ll have to try some time. They also have 2 sandwiches to choose from.
Overall, a solid coffee & food place in Potrero, and probably one of the better in the neighborhoods. But for the price and the size of the items, I have to knock off one star. I still prefer my staples like Jane or Reville Coffee for good food & coffee.

Attribute it on the plethora of good to amazing restaurants in Potrero Hill, but I’ll never find myself going hungry (or more likely, hangry) around the four blocks that surround Provender. As it turns out, I’m always in the neighborhood with a restaurant already in mind, so unfortunately for them (and for myself), an after-​meal Sightglass coffee is all I can foresee myself procuring from this shoe box-​sized coffee shop.
Their iced Americano with almond milk is delicious, mild, and refreshing; no extra sugar needed. Their Gibralter (kind of like a latte except the milk isn’t mixed in, I think) is also hella good. Twice, the same cute, young barista made my drinks & I’m thinking he’s got magic in them hands; never a bitter, burnt, or weak drink has passed my lips since I met him.
Damn it. If Provender’s coffee tastes this good, I know I’m missing out on their Avocado Toast & Arugula Salad.

Came here for a quick bite since there was a LONG wait at Plow. This is a tiny shop, but it’s so good! Service was great — the guy was really knowledgeable about what they offered.
I tried the avocado toast and it was AMAZING!!! You get 1.5 slices topped with avocado, cilantro, salt and oil. It was so refreshing and filling! This is a must have if you like avocado toast! The bf had a cappuccino and said it was good. Quality items!
The only downside is that there are only two seats at the bar since it’s a small place. However, there are benches outside and we ate our toast there.
Oh, and the pastries and other foods are made on-​site! They looked really good too. Def come try this place!

Super cute hipster café with super limited (as in 2 – 3 stools inside, 1 bench outside) seating that serves Sightglass coffee and insanely good pastries. Next, I will try their avocado toast or maybe the sous vide eggs toast.

We Dogpatch-​Potrero folk are downright spoiled when it comes to designer coffee joints… dare I say, this is what sold this self-​proclaimed coffee snob on moving into the ‘hood.
I live right next door to the big Philz HQ location (which is great), but I’ve been known to hop in my car to get my java and foodie treats fix at Provender. I just tried the goat cheese-​stuffed bacon biscuit this morning… and let me tell you, it was the stuff of legends! YFY!

YES. YES. YES!
Cute little spot in Potrero. Very little seating, but who cares?
Okay, so the avocado toast is a little expensive, but it’s not just avocado toast.
–it’s HUGE. I think a whole avocado was killed for this toast.
–the flavors are unbelievable. the spread, the spices, the yum, everything?!
–the toast… hello…anyway, get this thing.
And can’t forget how rad the two dudes that work there are. We were there with my friend and her toddler kiddo. He’s a cool little dude, but he was being a toddler and running around. The guys there had no attitude, were nice, and friendly. This neighborhood spot just made Potrero Hill even more likable. Which I didn’t know could happen.

Provender is one of my absolute favorite local eateries for cookies and salads. Yes, that’s right fellow Unilocalers, notice I did not say coffee. While I am sure their coffee is wonderful, I am actually not a coffee drinker. I went to this establishment because I saw the lovely blue décor and wanted to support a new local establishment in the Bay Area.
The sea salt chocolate-​chip cookie is delicious. The outside is crisp and perfectly browned with a slightly doughy center. The cookie is very large so it’s definitely a dessert that can be shared by two people or eaten by one lucky cookie lover.
The quinoa saiad is also a top pick of mine as the quinoa is paired with almonds, olives, feta, currants, and spinach. The salad is incredibly flavorful and a nice detox from a week of eating heavier foods.
Beyond the food, what keeps me coming back is the staff. The staff members are extremely friendly and work hard to prep the food in the open kitchen behind the counter.

The husband and I were leaving to drive down the big sur for a couple of days and needed a quick coffee fix. This cute looking coffee shop was on our way, so we ditched our normal go-​to Chats café to try it. I ordered two cold brew maple coffees to go and then proceeded to be confused by what happened next.
For $ 4 each, I was served two tiny (tiny!!!) cups of cold brew on ice in TINY paper cups. There was a great precision to the preparation of this coffee. with the ice weighed out before the coffee was poured. Given that we had a drive ahead of us, I transferred the coffees into cold cups, and each only took up a third of the space. I paid and left, confused and wondering how this was ok. Maybe I’m just not used to how cool this is supposed to be, and while the coffee was tasty, maybe I’m just not San Francisco enough to appreciate three sips of coffee for $ 4. Too hipster for me or something like that.

Black sesame banana bread wins all the prizes. And the cold brew is magic.
These guys are up to good stuff. Come check out this great new neighborhood spot.

Time: 12:03pm/62°F partly sunny
Purpose: Colleague of mines had the place already green light. However, it open during his vacation week. So, I’m just a filler credit is given to J. C that’s how I roll.
Ambiance: Provender replaces Baked. Small café with no seating inside or out and located on a slight hilly street. Inside honeycomb flooring with blue/​white color scheme. Galvanized steel piping for a walk-​up standing counter only. Couple of reclaimed wooden crates lines the wall with bag beans on display. Counter area with drop door entrance for going in/​out, iPad register, pans of baked goods, cups, sleeves, lids, LaMarzocco two chamber espresso machine, coffee thermos for drip (self serve). Rest of space production, prep, kitchen and storage area.
Staff: Tony, Austin, Aran and David all guys crew. Energetic and eager on this first day of opening. I just dealt with Austin. A cool, calm and collected guy. I went ahead a ask for a shot of espresso he then, told me wanna try the gibraltar? I didn’t know they had it there. Didn’t question Austin any further, I said sure let’s do it. Rest of the staff were doing their parts, had no time to chitchat. Things were running out quick. In a good way, sold out.
Cleanliness: Grade A, impeccable with status of how opening day should be. Compliance up to code and SF city standards.
Eats/​Drinks: Gibraltar $ 3.50 and chocolate chip cookie (oth). The drink was like any other place that does gibraltar. It’s double-​shot of espresso with a little milk pour in, but not mix. Top was smooth with heart shape art along with little to no bubbles seen. Tasted first sip, perfect! They’ve gotten it down for gibraltar, not a surprise as, its just the opposite of americano. One uses milk the other uses hot water. Cookie was warm and chewy. Bite after bite you can feel the mini morsels chips melting more with intense chocolate flavor. I had to pulse and do the sip-​chew method.
Main Features: In house baked goods, beet sandwich, roasted leg & lamb.
Products/​Services: Drip coffee, cappuccino, latte, hot chocolate, machiato, espresso, maple wood brew, pastries/​sweets, yogurt & granola, quinoa salad, arugula salad, beet sandwich, split pea soup, roasted leg & lamb. Coffee by Sightglass/​tea by Teance.
Punch Lines: First day, fully staff, friendly, knowledgeable, better than your average, no seats, walk-​up counter, satisfactory, drool-​worthy, calm vibe, well-​prepared, light bites, can’t go wrong, worth the wait, shoe box size, unpretentious, easy street parking, business/​residential neighborhood, slope location.
Tradeoffs: Most cafes just serves their feature coffee then order pastries/​danishes from a respected local bakery. Here they do it all in-​house without saying «sorry sold out, no more deliveries» for the day.
Final Thoughts: Place has potential, but do to its slope location no sidewalk seating available. I understand why, a hazard. Would be nice to have a table or so out front or three small stools inside. Nevertheless, it is what it is. At least it’s in business serving the Potrero Hill neighborhood, instead of a empty spot on the block. Rolling with 4.5/stars here.